Ino's True Heart
by Hokuto123
Summary: Sasuke choses Sakura insted of Ino. Who will she seek to show her love? Chap 3 up! Four is written but not typed. ALSO WORKING ON NARUHINA ONE. look for Winter in the Woods SOON!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARATERS SO BACK OFF!!!!!!! Unleashes attack dog and pulls out Thumper Gun (from _Storm Thief_ good book need to read it people.

Ino's True Heart 

Ino sat there in the ramen shop. She was thinking about the days events as she at her ramen.

**FLASHBACK: **"Well, I despise you." Sasuke said bluntly. "Sakura is much hotter and smarter." Sakura squealed with delight at that. She ran over and hugged Sasuke. Ino had stood there quietly. She had known that this was coming. Ino didn't cry or even think of it. She acted hurt but what got her is Sakura had something She didn't.

Ino ate her ramen in silence. She heard the curtains being pushed back and heard a familiar voice say, "Yo cook! One deluxe ramen with BBQ pork." Naruto sat down at the bar while the cook started making his ramen. Naruto looked over and saw Ino eating. He moved down seats and sat next to her. "Hey Ino!" Ino thought, "Hey, Sakura has Sasuke so why can't I have Naruto." "Hey Naruto. What's up?" she asked. "Nothing… much," he replied startled that Ino was being nice to him.

The cook placed Naruto's ramen on the bar and slid it down to him. "Thanks!" Naruto said grabbing a pair of chopsticks, nearly Ino's hair, and the ramen in less than two seconds. "Naruto watch it you nearly ripped off my hair!" Ino exclaimed running her hands through her hair. It had grown back out after she had cut it during the exams. "Oh, sorry," Naruto said as he began to eat. Naruto was thinking as he ate. Why was Ino here and not training or trying to go out with Sasuke? "Hey Ino," Naruto said. Ino finished her mouth full and answered, "Hmm?" "I was wondering why you aren't training or flirting with Sasuke," Naruto said. The Yamanaka replied, "Well, Sasuke chose Sakura over me." Naruto cringed. "That son of a…" Ino quickly put her hand over his mouth. "Its nothing important," Ino whispered in his ear. She returned to eating. "Ino, why don't you care?" "Because," Ino replied, "I didn't really like him. I have my eyes on _someone _else in the village." Ino answered. Naruto was taken aback. "What?! I thought you loved that snob!" Naruto exclaimed. "Na," Ino said finishing her ramen.

She was about to pay for her ramen when Naruto said, "Cook, I've got it," He took out his toad purse and grabbed the money and handed to the cook. Ino's face went red. Why was Naruto paying for her lunch? "Thanks Naruto," She said. "Ah, but you have to pay me back. I'm going to go train after I get done and Bushy Brows is off on a mission and I need a training partner," Naruto said smiling. Ino sat back down and looked at him. She had never noticed his six scars on his cheeks. "Ok, since you paid for me I will train with you. I have to get better than _Sakura_."

Naruto and Ino walked to the training field. Naruto said, "Hey Ino. You said you didn't like Sasuke. Who do you like?" Ino replied looking for the next turn, "Ok here's the deal, after some basic warm ups we will spar. If you win, I will tell you. If I win, then I won't tell you. If you don't accept this then I won't tell you at all." Naruto answered always liking a challenge, "You are ON!"

Naruto warmed up by making shadow clones and practicing techniques on them. Ino did target practice. When they were ready, they went to opposite sides of the field. They were ready to fight.

"GO!" Ino yelled. She threw a kunai at him and hit a log. Behind Ino, Naruto appeared and flew at her. He made contact with her back. Ino went flying across the field. She got back up and preformed hand signs. Naruto recognized the signs and jumped out of the way as multiple fireballs were shot in his direction. Naruto reached into his holsters and pulled out six sebon with three in each hand. He dodged another ball of fire and threw the needles at her. Ino saw the needles coming and moved out of the way. One hit her in the leg. "OW!" she screamed. Pulling it out, she concentrated her chakra into her hands. She inserted the chakra into the sebon and hurled it at Naruto. Naruto saw it coming because of its blue glow. He didn't know that she could control it. Naruto dodged it and went under a tree. Ino had planed this. She moved the sebon toward the limb that Naruto stood under. The sebon cut through the tree with ease. The limb fell on top of Naruto. "You're good," He called picking himself out of the limb. "But not good enough." In a cloud of smoke the clone disappeared.

Ino felt a pair of hands toss her to the ground. Then being picked up and hit into the air. Last thing she saw before she passed out was a blue ninja sandal.

When Ino came around, she saw Naruto sitting beside her. "Looks like you won," Ino coughed. Naruto had bandages her bleeding but it was still hard to move. "Naruto, help me onto the log you're sitting on," Ino said.

Naruto picked Ino up and set her on the log. He jumped back up onto it. Naruto felt his face go red just sitting beside her. He had begun to like her and here she was about to tell him whom she _really_ liked.

"Well," Ino said, "Guess first." After a few seconds of thinking he answered, "That dog idiot, Kiba?" Ino gagged. "I hate him!" She said. "His dog took a fricken leak on my leg!" Naruto laughed. "Is that true?" Ino replied, "Yeah! Anyways you're wrong. Give up?" Naruto shrugged, "Yeah."

Ino leaned over and whispered in his ear, "You." Naruto's face went red, scarlet, and red again. Ino reached over and hugged him. He sat there, with Ino hugging him and his face changing shades of red every second.

Sasuke and Sakura just walked around the turn to get to the field when they saw Naruto and Ino. "INO YOU FAT PIG WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Sakura shouted. Ino looked up and saw her rival and a weird looking Sasuke. Naruto shouted, "Nothing. We just got done training." Sasuke was stunned that Naruto, as it appeared, had a girlfriend. "Naruto, you're such a loser," Sasuke said. Ino released Naruto and went over to Sasuke. "I really did never like you. You are just too uptight. I have no clue how Sakura can stand you," Ino said. With that said she slapped Sasuke so hard, he fell and hit his head on a tree.

"INO YOU FAT PIG! HOW DARE YOU HIT SASUKE!" Sakura screamed. "I can hit anyone I feel like." Ino said gabbing on to Naruto. Naruto said, "Lets go Ino." They left Sakura trying to heal the big scrape on Sasuke's head.

They got to Ino's apartment around sundown. Ino asked, "Naruto, do you love me?" Naruto, who was not paying attention, was startled at this question. He answered, "Sakura's a idiot (for use a better word) for dating Sasuke." Ino said, "You still haven't answered my question."

Naruto finally answered. He whispered, "Yes." Ino hugged Naruto. She then lifted her head. "I love you Naruto." She put her lips to his. Naruto's face when from normal to red to scarlet to dark red and back to red in less than one second. They parted for a breath. "I love you too, Ino." They kissed one last time, and then Ino went inside and Naruto walked back to his apartment. He thought, "I don't care it its not Sakura. I have liked Ino because she's a good fighter. I have never considered dating her but its alright." He unlocked his apartment and walked inside. Naruto found two things of great importance there.


	2. Ino, Naruto and WHO!

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS! SO BACK OFF!!!! Pulls out ten pounds of c4

Ino's True Heart Chap. 2

Naruto unlocked his apartment and walked in. He saw immediately that something two things were wrong. First, a letter lay on his bed with the Hokage's seal on it. Second, he saw a figure in the corner.

"Looks like you finally came home after making out with Ino," Sasuke said stepping out of the shadows. He stood with a bandage around his head. It was slightly red at a point. His face was also swollen. "Your girlfriends assault was unexpected." He said cracking his fingers. "I have to return the favor," Sasuke said going into a lunge.

Naruto saw the attack and sidestepped. Sasuke hit the wall with a hard force. A cracking sound followed the hit. Sasuke had broken his hand in the process of trying to slug Naruto.

Naruto picked up Sasuke and went over to the window. He opened it with his free hand and threw Sasuke out into the dumpster. Sasuke fell like a rock and caused a pile of trash to shoot upwards. Two cats sleeping there were angry because their home had been disturbed. They proceeded to maul Sasuke. "A hidden attack might work better noob," Naruto said shutting the window.

He went back inside and sat down on his bed. Naruto picked up the letter. He pulled out a kunai and cut open the letter. It didn't look interesting but he read it anyway.

To: Naruto U.

Mission: Retrieve map the Sound Village from the Mist Village.

Teammate: Choose **ONE** person, male or female.

Starting Date: A week from this day

Tsunade, Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves

Naruto set the letter down on his nightstand and thought. Who would he pick to go with him? TenTen, because of her weapons expertise? Hinata, because of her bloodline trait? His mind drifted to Ino. Naruto twirled the kunai as he thought. She was good at fighting and thinking.

Naruto decided to ask Ino tomorrow. With that finished, he looked at the target on one wall of his room. It was a standard training target with a picture of Gaara on it. He took aim and threw his kunai. Naruto's candle, which was one of his few light sources, was in the kunai's path. The knife cut off the wick before it hit the target. Naruto rolled over and thought of Ino.

Ino sat on her bed. She had come home to find Sakura in her apartment. She wanted to attack Ino because of Ino's assault on Sasuke. Ino had shoved her outside. Ino then hit Sakura. This hit has caused Sakura to fall down the stairs.

She thought what she had done to Naruto. Why had that impulse cause her to kiss him? She then remembered something her mother had once told her. "At one time in your life, sometimes more, you will have a feeling for someone, Ether your family, village, or a person. That feeling is called "love". Most people find only one person. Some find many. When you find your person or whatever make sure they know that you love them. Also, protect them with both arms and all of your strength. I hope you find someone special."

Her mother had said that shortly before she was taken hostage by the cloud village. Ino also thought of what Naruto had running though his mind when she had kissed her. Did he like it? Did he wish it were Sakura, Hinata, or anyone else? Did he even care? Or, Ino trembled at this thought, was he gay? These things troubled her until she fell asleep. Maybe she will find out tomorrow.

Naruto woke the next morning to the sound of birds. He usually hated birds. Except for those that he had to eat. Naruto usually threw something at them to get the birds to shut up. This morning, they sounded more appealing. He walked over to the shower and turned it on cold. He had a hangover style feeling as the water hit him. "That ramen must have had a bad piece of beef or something in it." he muttered to himself.

When he got out of the shower, he tossed on another orange outfit and walked to Ino's. He thought of how he would ask her about the mission. Naruto decided to see if she wanted a ramen breakfast and if so take her to the local ramen shop.

Around eight, Ino stirred. She got up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her head was still a little swollen from Naruto's attack. She applied some ointment and put on an orange ninja outfit. She had gotten it right before the exams as a gift from her team.

Ino was about to leave and to ask Shikamaru to go spar, when she heard a small tap on her window. She went over and looked out. Naruto stood there with a few pebbles in his hand. He called out something but she couldn't hear. The problem being, the window was closed.

Ino open the window and called out, "Morning Naruto!" Naruto dropped the rocks and yelled back, "Morning Ino! You hungry?" Ino heard a growl emit from her stomach. "Yeah," she answered. "Well, come on down and we can go get some ramen," he called.

Ino jumped out the window and landed without as much as a noise. She hit the ground with a force but she somehow made it silently. Ino ran over and hugged Naruto. They set off for the ramen shop.

They walked through the curtans and Naruto called out, "Morning cook, two deluxe ramen with a plate of BBQ pork!" They took their sets at the bar. They looked at each other and smiled. Naruto looked down the bar and saw Lee.

"Lee! What's up?" Naruto called out as he moved down with Ino right behind him. Lee looked up from his ramen at the sound of his name. "Oh, hey Naruto," he said. Lee also noticed Ino. "Morning Ino," he added.

They talked till the ramen came. The group of three ate in silence. Ino decided to tell Lee the news. "Lee, I hate to tell you, but you're out of luck." Lee looked over with a questioning look on his face. "What do you mean?" Ino replied, "Sasuke finally decided to recognize Sakura. They are going out now." Lee looked heart broken. He then started up and said, "Good for Sakura."

They finished the ramen and walked to the training field. They found another thing of great importance…


	3. Ready for Battle

Disclamer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!!! SO BACK OFF!!! Sharpens katana and loads .58 magnum

Ino's True Heart chap. 3

A note was pinned to the middle log. A single sebon held it firmly in place. A familiar mark was clearly visible on the bottom of it. The note was written on slightly browned parchment. It was also a little red. The sebon was too red. A reuse.

Naruto went over and tore it off. The mark was the exact same as the one that Orochimaru had cursed Sasuke with. Ino knew of the mark from talking with Sakura. Lee had no idea. The note read:

Meet at training ground 42 at 1:30 today.

Come with your present group or not at all.

The mark was there in place of a signature. Naruto remembered the slimy, snake-like man that he, Sasuke, and Sakura had ran into during the exams. It was the same place that they had taken the exams.

Naruto looked around franticly. "Naruto, what's wrong?" Ino asked. Naruto stopped and sat down. "Its him. Orochimaru." Ino gasped. The three ninja looked around again and still saw nothing.

"Ok, here's the plan. We go to our houses and load up on equipment. Meet back here in five minutes," Naruto said, jumping on to a tree. The ninja left the training ground and started off for the village.

Ino walked into her apartment. She opened her closet and smiled. When she had purchased this place, she had a closet added. Her intention? Weapons storage. Ino removed her top and grabbed a chain mail and put it on. She replaced her top and attached a belt. On the belt, Ino added a pouch of white powder used for temporary blindness. She also added a few kunai. Ino then added leg and hip holsters full of kunai and sebon to both legs. Last, she went to the back of the closet. She grabbed the top katana from her rack and lashed it onto her back. Finally, she headed off toward the training ground.

Lee returned home slowest of them all. He didn't need much. He took off his green jumpsuit and replaced it with a chain mail lined, green and brown one. It had been a gift from his team on his twelfth birthday. Lee also replaced his shoes with boots that had small spikes on the bottom. They also had a knife in the toe. He too, headed off.

Naruto went home and grabbed a pouch of four pronged objects called crow's feet. The way they were designed made it so that one spike was always up, waiting for an unknowing foot to tread upon it. He grabbed a leg holster and added a few kunai to it. He too, lashed a katana to his back. On a second thought, he also picked up some letter bombs.

The three ninja met at the correct time. They left silently for area forty-two. Naruto heard Ino's chain mail. Ino noticed Lee's boots. Lee noticed that the other two had katanas. The three Leaves jumped from branch to branch heading to the Area 42.

Suddenly, a branch Lee landed on gave way. He fell off and landed in a bush. "Lee! You ok?!" Naruto hollered from above. "Yeah!" Lee answered. He was ready to jump back up when he saw a flash of metal. Lee inspected the bush and saw a katana carelessly dropped by a Leaf ninja according to the mark on it. He attached it to his back and joined the others.

The Leaves got to the field at 1:25. The field was covered in a thick mist. Naruto had seen this mist somewhere before but he couldn't remember it. Lee scouted and found a hole in the fence. A kunai was flung from somewhere in the forest and hit right above Naruto. A note was attached. It read:

Come in the forest. We are waiting.

Naruto read this aloud. The mark was again, in place of a signature. Lee looked back and saw Ino in Naruto's arms. He then saw, the faces touch. Lee blushed and wished Sakura was here. The three Leaves entered the forest. Far above, a lonely bird flew with a watchful eye.

**Hokuto123 here. School has been getting in the way of me writing these fan fictions. Though, its out for Christmas break. But, I have to work now. It should be finished by January. MARRYCHRISTMAS ALL! Or what ever you celebrate**


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